Only one gun allowed!

Ponderosaman said:

Looks like I’m an army of one with my percussion smoothie. Like any firearm, specialization makes for the right tool for the job, but like back when I drank beer, I would have had a different one every time if I could. The smoothie, in .60 would provide the versatility to do something new whenever I had the inkling. And percussion is more reliable. There’s little worse than a click with no boom. Not that I would ever yuck someone’s yum.

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Percussion can be more reliable, they definitely are easier to use, especially for the novice shooter.
And there are plenty of ol’ grey beards with a lifetime of ml experience who prefer caps.
Even the very best flintlock, combined with an experienced shooter will get the dreaded clatch.
Howsomever next year will be my fiftieth yeas shooting rock in the locks. And from tree rats and thumper, with a tom or two thrown in on to Bambi and one bigger cousins, I’ve never had a misfire hunting
If you ever dip your toe in the flintlock pool you may be pleasantly surprised
I’ve witnessed and even had a few cap guns fail to go off

Ponderosaman said:

Looks like I’m an army of one with my percussion smoothie. Like any firearm, specialization makes for the right tool for the job, but like back when I drank beer, I would have had a different one every time if I could. The smoothie, in .60 would provide the versatility to do something new whenever I had the inkling. And percussion is more reliable. There’s little worse than a click with no boom. Not that I would ever yuck someone’s yum.

Click to expand...

Percussion can be more reliable, they definitely are easier to use, especially for the novice shooter.
And there are plenty of ol’ grey beards with a lifetime of ml experience who prefer caps.
Even the very best flintlock, combined with an experienced shooter will get the dreaded clatch.
Howsomever next year will be my fiftieth yeas shooting rock in the locks. And from tree rats and thumper, with a ton or two thrown in on to Bambi and one bigger cousin

Banjoman said:

Okay my Tennessee neighbor, do you realize how difficult this question is? One muzzleloader? Seriously? . But the one I shoot most, and probably favorite is my Chambers .62 caliber, flintlock smooth bore.

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Haha, I agree. Nice choice! My .62 smoothie is a workhorse.

Flintlock fowler probably in a 16 bore even though I don't have one.''yet''

TDM said:

Flintlock Fowler, either 20 or 16. If I'm pinned down a 20.

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LymanB said:

That would be my pick as well.

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Hermit Tim said:

I too went with the flintlock Fowler because of the versatility. And the no need for caps. Due to the small size of deer and the small game choices in my area it would be, in order of preference, a 28, 24, or 20. Here a guy could eat well for years with that gun...

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Ponderosaman said:

Looks like I’m an army of one with my percussion smoothie. Like any firearm, specialization makes for the right tool for the job, but like back when I drank beer, I would have had a different one every time if I could. The smoothie, in .60 would provide the versatility to do something new whenever I had the inkling. And percussion is more reliable. There’s little worse than a click with no boom. Not that I would ever yuck someone’s yum.

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AGREED.

In fact while the longrifle was very popular in the United States, the 20 gauge trade gun was the overall favorite in Canada.
In my area I can get shots at deer well under 50 yards. Shot vs. squirrel, rabbit, upland birds, and turkeys.

LD

Interesting poll, and the responses are fun reading. We have been through recent (within the past decade) shortages of various components. Remember the black powder shortage of just a couple of years ago? Flintlocks don’t do well with substitutes. Now powder is available but we have a cap shortage. How many commercial flint knappers are there now?

Smoothbores are more versatile, but rifles are more accurate, rifles in the smaller calibers are cheaper to shoot, and you stand a better chance of recovering your lead if you shoot a ball rather than shot.

There are good arguments for either type of ignition, and either type of bore. I would say it comes down to personal preference. I think my hunting days are behind me, and I have not shot competitively recently. My shooting has mostly been just recreational time on the range, and for that I generally grab a percussion plains rifle, just out of habit. So, that’s what I selected for the poll.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

No love for a handgun?

Before this year I'd of said 45 cal SMR 36" barrel. Now after I got used to it and fell in love with usability and versatility of the 20 gauge fowler, it offers way to much variance not to select it if I can only own one. Perfect world a double barrel 20 gauge flintlock one barrel for deer one for small game. But it wasn't an option to choose.

Whitworth rifle or Enfield 2-band. That said, I am rather fond of my own .45 hawkens.

Duk said:

Flintlock fowler probably in a 16 bore even though I don't have one.''yet''

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Once Kibler releases their fowler a bunch more people will have both 20 and 16 gauges.

Military musket for versatility. Heavy loads, light loads and use it as a shotgun too.

I chose a percussion smoothbore but will add this, as one gun only I'd prefer an SxS either smooth or combo.

Only flintlock that I have, is a carbine length 1766 Charleville.

I voted for one i dont have. A flintlock smooth bore.

At this moment in time my two favorite calibers are .45 and .54. I lean heavily toward percussion guns.

I voted for the .45 or less however were I not winding down my hunting, an age thing, I be solid on the .54. I figure for target shooting, including plinking, a .45 caplock would be the right choice for me. If I ended up hunting deer again, the .45 could do it.

This being said, I've becoming reacquainted with my .32, .36 and .40 guns and I'm kind of liking that .40 thing.

I may still have a couple of deer seasons left in my back pocket so I doubt my .54 GRRW Leman is going anywhere soon.

it would be one of my Renagade 56 cal smoothbores 1 flint 1 percussion

Good 'ol .50 Hawken. Easy to shoot, easy to clean, and is very accurate.

Outside your list of choices - back action left hand flintlock swivel shoulder arm with .62 caliber rifled barrel and .63 caliber smoothbore. Both barrels can take a .610 patched round ball and smoothbore take shot or buck and ball. On your list, flintlock rifle .50 caliber or larger.

It was not stated the circumstances for 1 gun so I just voted for my favorite. 28 Ga smoothbore